Rack for supporting enameled ware



May 23, 1933. Q KAPNER 1,910,841

RACK FOR SUPPORTING ENAMELED WARE Filed Sept. 21. 1932 \i 6 \g INVENTOR- fiTTuRNEv Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT OFFICE .fcrrnnrns KAPNER, or BELLAIRE, 011101 RACK FOR surron'rme ENAMELED WARE "Application filed September 21, 1932. Serial No. 634,142.

-1 This invention relates broadly to racks for supporting enameled sheet metal articles during the period of time in which they are beingsubjectedto heatutreatment within a "5 burning or fusing furnace. i

V In the-process of enameling sheet metal articles, said articles ;ordinarily have the porcelain or vitreous enamel coating initially placed thereon by dipping the articles of were intom'a vat containing the enamel. The enamel coating: soplaced on'the ware adheresrto the metal of the ware in a chalky nature and is easily removed. from the: ware,Qnecessitating careful handling.

"-16 Additionally, the enamel coating in this.

state has an= extremely dull finish entirely devoid of lustre or glaze. For this reason, thearticlesof ware, following dipping, are

placed in a burning furnace where the same 2 are subjecteduto comparatively high temperatures of heat, which results in the fusing of the enameled coating to provide a strong bond between the, porcelain enamel coatingfand the article of ware. Furthermore,-saidheat1 treatment: results in a hard and glossy finish being imparted to the coating, liollowing this heat treatment, the porcelain enamel coating may be subJected V to comparatively hard usage qwithout dam- '30 age r p i During the period of time in which the .WHIBITS contained within the burning or fusing furnace it is imperative that the ware be so supported that the heat of the furnace may play or have contact with substantially the entire surface of theware being treated, thus itoprovide uniform fusingof said coating. Moreover,the-ware must be supported in such a manner that no part of the sup porting means shall contact the body portionof-thearticle of ware being burned as theenamelicoating will not fuse to the area so contacted. or covered,thus resulting in a discolored spot devoid of coating through which the metal of the article can be seen.

It is the general practice in the art to individually suspend each article of wareon individual racks,-or burning points, as they are termed in the art. These racks consistof an appropriate base having permag nently attached thereto the lower ends of a plurality of vertically extending posts or fingers, the upperextremity of each of said fingers being sharpened to a point; Articles of ware, particularly those having terminal 5 rolls or beads located at theirupper terminal edge, are suspended on the fingers of the racks in a position that the sharpened upper endsfof the fingers occupy supporting relation onvthe under side of the terminal roll andthe .mainbody of the article occupies a hanging or: suspended position intermediate alined upstanding fingers; Obviously, no part of the article is covered except the very small areas contacted by the pointed ends of thefingersand to which the enameled coating, will be imperfectly fused. However, this is of no consequence since the areas are very small in size and, additionally they are located on the under concave side of the terminal roll where they are not easily detected. a i a As hereinbefore stated, the supporting posts or fingers of said racks are each permanently attached to the base. Obviously, the :distances between the fingers are fixed and this construction of rack is rendered seriously objectionable in view of the fact that a manufacturermust carry a large supply of racks of varying widths, lengths or diameters. Otherwise expressed, the manufacturer must carry in stock racksof. a size to correspond with the dimensions of the va rious. articles of ware which he manufactures. r

The present invention has for its purpose to provide a rack of the general character discussed in which the distance between the fingers, or at least some of them, can be either lengthened or shortened with a. mini- 90 mum of eiiort and time, thus to accommodate articles of ware having varying widths, lengths or diameters, resulting in a rack having a wide range of utility and, consequently, obviating the necessity of the manufacturer being obliged to carry such a large stock of supporting racks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack of the character mentioned which is featured by its simplicity of construction and utility.

In describing the invention in detail, ref erence is herein had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of theinvention depicting an article of ware suspended therefrom; and I Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, a portion of the article of wars being shown in fragmentary section.

Referring to said drawing, the reference numeral 1 designates a base ofa supporting rack, which base is made of one piece of sheet metal bent into substantially elliptical form. Each of the opposite meeting ends of the sheet metal strip forming the base is bent outwardly to form laterally ex tending lugs 2, which lugs are held together for closing the elliptical base by means of a rivet 3. A collar or spacer 4L embraces the shank of the rivet intermediate the adjacent lugs and serves to provide an intervening space between the adjacent lugs.

As shown in the drawing, the base. 1 has permanently attached thereto at one side thereof the lower ends of two vertically extending fingers 5, each of said fingers being curved inwardly and upwardly adjacent the upper portion thereof and having the portion above the point of commencement of curvature of tapering form, the taper being of such a degree that the upper extremity of each finger terminates in a sharp point.

A third finger 6 is provided on the opposite side of the base in'such relation that it is located at a point diametrically opposite the center of the intervening space between the two opposite fixed fingers 5. The lower end of said finger 6' is located between the lugs 2 and is pivotally connected thereto by means of a pivot-pin or rivet 8. 'Like the stationary fingers 5, said finger 6 has a portion of its upper length bent inwardly and upwardly to form a compound curve and has its upper end tapered to a point at its extremity.

In practice, the article of ware? to be supported is held in suspended relation between the oppositely disposed fingers 5 and 6 by means of the pointed upper ends of said fingers which are adapted to contact a very small area underlying the terminal roll 7 of the article. So supported, it will be seen that the entire surface of the article is exposed.

The provision of the pivoted or movable finger 6 permits it to be adjusted laterally in opposite directions about its pivotal point, as shown in dotted lines in. Fig. 2 of the drawing, so that the distance between the oppositely disposed fingers 5 and 6 may be increased or decreased at will to readily accommodate a range of articles whose dimensions differ.

The collar 4 also serves as a stop for limiting the inward and outward movement of the pivoted finger 6.

The disposition: of the supporting fingers in the spaced relation shown in the drawing affords an arrangement whereby the article of ware may be rigidly carried by the rack with little or no chance of the former becoming unbalanced.

What is claimed is 1. In a rack for supporting articles of enameled ware, a base, and a plurality of vertically extending fingers having their lower ends attached to said base, at least one of said fingers being movable toward and away from the other of said fingers for decreasing or increasing the space intervening between the fixed fingers and the movable finger.

2. In a rack for supporting articles of enameled ware, a substantially circular base, a plurality of vertically extending fingers mounted about the periphery of said base, one of said fingers being pivotally connected, at its lower end to said base and adapted to have its. upper end pivotally; moved toward and away from the fingers located on the opposite side of said base for decreasing or increasing the space intervening therebetween.

3. In an article of the character described, a base, a plurality of vertically extending fingers permanently attached to one side of said base, spaced lugs formed integral with said base and extending outwardly from the opposite side of said base, and an upstandingfinger having its lower end pivotally mounted intermediate said lugs and adapted to be pivotally moved toward and. away from oppositely disposed fingers for decreasing or increasing the intervening space therebetween.

4. In an article of the character described, a base, a plurality of vertically extending fingers permanently attached to one side of said base, spaced lugs formed integral with said base and extending outwardly from the opposite side of said base, an upstanding finger having its lower end pivotally mounted intermediate said lugs and adapted to he pivotally moved toward and away from. oppositely disposed fingers for decreasing or increasing the intervening space therebetween, and means limiting thev movement of said pivoted finger.

5. In a rack for supporting enameled ware,

a plurality of vertically extending supporting members adapted to have their upper ends underlie the terminal roll of an article of were, abase supporting the lower ends of said supporting means, the supporting means at one side of said base being fixed, and the supporting means at the opposite side of said base being adjustable relative to said fixed supporting means for accommodating articles having varying dimensions.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa- CHARLES KAPNER.

ture. 

